Oh the power of suggestion. After I read your post I had to go to Chinatown Express and get the xiao long bao (soup buns) for myself. I love the condiments they have on the table; they're great with the steamed buns. A hot red sauce, sliced garlic with a touch of green chilies, and chopped marinated spring onion with a bit of ginger.

I know Joe's Shanghai in Long Island, I ate there many many times. Perhaps other folks may read this if you are no longer reading this, however, there is a restaurant called Burma Road in Gaithersburg on S. Fredrick Dr. It is just down the street from a huge dim sum restaurant called New Fortune that has nearly as good a soup bun as Joe's. The key is sometimes you have to be lucky. Meaning that if they have leftover from the day before they will freeze them for next day then cook them. The frozen are good, however, the real treat is fresh made becaause you can nearly get a full spoon of soup from the fresh ones as only maybe half a spoon full of soup from the frozen. I go there on Sunday morning at 11 am.

Burma Road, however, just remember not as juicy as Joe's Shanghai. Also, something strange, the ball of meat is large inside the bun so while I bit a hole in the side only a little bit of juice came out but I think the ball of meat sealed the hole and the remainder of the juice stayed on the other side of the bun. because when I popped the entire remaining bun into my mouth and bit down, the remaining juices squirted out into my mouth, so I would guess that there is probably half a spoon of juice inisde Burma Road's soupy bun vice a full spoon of juice from Joes Shanghai.

Do you remember what they're called at Burma Road? I've been there a few dozen times but never remember seeing anything similar to them on the menu (but I also focus on the Burmese side so I could've missed them)

I am trying to remember what they call it, I think they call it something like juicy pork bun I think it is the first or second item listed on the first page of their large menu book. It only I could use chinese characters, I always recognize this dish by the first of four characters that names this dish. If know somebody chinese, ask them to write the chinese character for the word small, that is the first character of the soupy bun item.

I am not sure how new, because I just started going their about a month or two ago and saw it on their menu. It is not listed on their paper menu that is on the internet, it is in there large leather bound menu at the restaurant, I think it is the first or second menu item under appetizer. I only recognize it by the first character of it's chinese name. If you know somebody chinese, ask them to write down the chinese character for the word small. That is how I find it. I think the english name is something like juicy prok bun or something like that.

I really like Pacifica Cafe. I usually go there if I am craving the Shanghai Soup Dumplings. There are also some specialty dishes that have to be ordered ahead of time....lotus or banana wrapped sticky rice with a whole chicken inside. Yum. I have gone during weekday lunches and dinners. I'd stick to the weekends even though they get packed. I haven't gone to Burma, so I can't compare. But Pacifica Cafe's soup dumplings are very good (closest in taste to what I had in Taiwan).